"Because of his father?"
Kahn asked, assuming Iroh's "complex" referred to the power struggle between Ozai and himself for the Fire Nation throne.
Although Zuko might not realize it, as Ozai's son, he was already caught in that political storm.
No matter what, Ozai becoming Fire Lord would inevitably affect him.
Iroh nodded slightly, then shook his head.
"It is indeed because of his father that Zuko may not be able to leave home for now. But what troubles him more deeply... is something else."
He paused for a moment before saying quietly, "His mother, Ursa, has gone missing."
"Missing?" Kahn was stunned. "Missing? What do you mean?"
He had only met Ursa briefly when he visited Zuko's house before, yet she left a deep impression on him.
Actually, it wasn't just Ursa herself—it was everything about that day.
Azula's sharp tongue and eerie intelligence, Zuko's politeness and loyalty, the quiet maid who never spoke, and the strange way Ursa interacted with her children.
Azula's sinister smile and venom-laced words. The invisible presence of their father, Ozai, who never once appeared.
And of course—there was the Firebending lesson he had been promised but never received.
At the time, Kahn hadn't thought much about it. But later, when he reflected, something about that entire visit felt off.
There was a quiet wrongness to it—nothing concrete, just a chill that lingered, like glimpsing something forbidden beneath the surface of human nature.
That very night, Kahn had a nightmare.
The next morning, the news came: Fire Lord Azulon was dead, and Ozai had taken the throne.
So he brushed off that lingering dread as nothing more than a premonition of the upheaval to come.
But now, as Iroh mentioned Ursa, those memories resurfaced—the kind, soft-spoken woman who had smiled at him, praised him, and made him feel at ease.
Ursa… she had seemed like a good person.
Right?
Iroh took a slow sip of tea before continuing.
"Just as the words imply—she's gone. The day after Fire Lord Azulon passed away, Ursa mysteriously disappeared."
"Mysteriously disappeared?" Kahn frowned. "You mean… it could be—"
He didn't finish the thought, but the suspicion was there.
The timing was too perfect—Azulon's death, Ozai's sudden rise, and Ursa's disappearance all within days. It screamed of conspiracy.
Of course, that was only intuition—no proof.
But in stories, this kind of thing always meant trouble.
Iroh seemed to sense what Kahn was thinking. He gave a tired smile and shook his head.
"In truth, no one knows. No one is clear about what happened—or why."
But in his heart, Iroh had his own grim suspicions.
There was a hidden story, and the only person who knew the truth was likely his brother, Ozai.
After all, it was his wife who vanished. Yet Ozai had shown no hint of emotion in recent days—not sorrow, not confusion.
It was as though everything was unfolding according to a plan only he understood.
Iroh himself had been too consumed with the chaos surrounding the succession—funeral rites, political maneuvering, and barely escaping Ozai's manipulation with his own dignity intact.
Only after retreating and regaining his composure did he finally remember Zuko and Kahn… and that was when he learned of Ursa's disappearance.
Even now, he was still bewildered, working on speculation and instinct alone.
But such thoughts were too dangerous to share, especially with Kahn.
So Iroh ended the topic gently.
"Anyway, you'll likely be able to see Zuko again in a few days."
"I see." Kahn nodded. "Zuko must be going through a lot."
His father becoming Fire Lord. His mother vanishing. His entire world had collapsed overnight.
Even an adult would struggle to survive such trauma—let alone a child. If Kahn were in his place, he wouldn't know how to go on.
Iroh sighed deeply. "Yes… so when you meet him again, try to comfort him."
Kahn nodded firmly. He would have done that even without being told.
He already saw Zuko as a younger brother.
But then, another child came to mind—Azula.
Azula had also left a strong impression on him. Maybe because she was the first foul-mouthed prodigy he'd ever met.
Brilliant, cunning, terrifyingly talented… and yet, something in her felt fragmented, as if she were fighting herself inside.
Kahn worried for her too—but differently than he did for Zuko.
With Zuko, his concern was for his safety—a child caught in the dangerous web of a royal transition. One wrong move could cost him his life.
With Azula, though, it wasn't about safety. Somehow, he felt she was untouchable in that regard—though he couldn't explain why. His worry was for her heart.
Even though she often clashed with Ursa, Kahn had noticed small moments—tiny gestures—that hinted at a more complicated bond between mother and daughter.
He couldn't help but wonder if Ursa's disappearance would leave a deeper scar on Azula than anyone expected.
As he was thinking this, Iroh suddenly asked, almost casually, "By the way, when you last visited Zuko's home, you must have met his sister, right?"
"Azula? Of course. We played together that day," Kahn replied.
Iroh raised an eyebrow. "You… played together?"
Then, after a brief pause, he asked, "What did you think of Azula's personality?"
Kahn hesitated, thinking for a long moment before answering with a small, wry smile.
"She's… a very special girl."
Iroh looked quietly surprised.
"A special girl," he echoed softly. "Yes… special indeed. Perhaps I was wrong… perhaps…"
His voice trailed off into a murmur Kahn couldn't quite hear.
When he finally spoke again, his expression had shifted—somber, reflective.
"Do you know?" Iroh said at last. "In my opinion… she's very much like her father."